Maybe It's Love
by KaydenceRei
Summary: Love without sex first? She'd never had that happen. A guy never said that before they'd slept together. Perhaps that was why she had believed his words.[EO. Oneshot. Songfic.]


**Disclaimer**: Psht. Right. God forbid.

**Author's Note**: Here's hoping this sparks the inspiration for my other two stories that I seem to have lost. It's worth a shot, right?

Dedicated to Cold Case Chick. Yep. All for her.

**Song Artist**: Trisha Yearwood

**Maybe It's Love**:

She'd never understand.

No. Definitely not.

Olivia Benson knew she'd never quite understand why it had to hurt so much when you let someone into your heart. Maybe it was simply because everyone that she'd ever allowed such a trivial entrance into her life, has backed away from her. Clearly her life wasn't normal. Or at least, not the way she came into life. That seemed to drive everyone away.

But not one person. Maybe that was because he wasn't some boyfriend she'd met in a bar over drinks. Or out on a once in a lifetime shopping excursion she went on with one of the few friends she held onto. Maybe it's because he understood it wasn't her fault. Or perhaps he just so happened to be a good guy, and she'd only managed to find the jerks.

Either way. The idea that you could so easily be thrown out of someone's life wasn't very good. Maybe that was why she closed herself off from everybody. Maybe that was her downfall.

Instead of looking for good qualities, lately she tended to find everything wrong with a person. She was afraid to let anyone get close to her. Even the men from the 16th precinct that she'd known for so long. Pushed away. Pushed out of her life because she couldn't handle things.

_Everybody's heart aches_

_Every time it opens_

_You don't know if you'll win or lose_

_You have to just let go_

But someone kept pushing. Everyone but one person had given up and left her to let them back in at her own leisure. But not him. Not Elliot.

That's what helped her to realize something. She could push all she wanted. She could think whatever she had to. But that would never stop Elliot Stabler from caring about her. He believed in her. He was the one man who made her believe not all men were horrible.

Sure. She'd admit that Elliot wasn't perfect. But every person had their flaws. She was definitely one of them.

But it was ridiculous for her to think that he was 'the one' for her. That kind of thinking would drive him away. It always drove people away.

_BAM!_

That was when she realized where she was and what she'd just done. She was at work. And she'd just slammed her fist onto her desk and now she had more than a few people staring at her.

"Olivia?"

She knew that voice. He hadn't been at his desk. But he'd come into the squad room in time for her sudden outburst. Now all eyes in the squad room were on her. And she had a sudden feeling of discomfort at her own work. She was staring down at her balled up fist when she suddenly got to her feet.

"Olivia. I need to speak with you please."

That caught her attention. That wasn't Elliot. That was her captain.

_No I wasn't looking_

_It's funny how I found you_

_Just when I thought_

_I'd live my life alone_

Olivia made no objections. She silently made her way into her captain's office, blatantly ignoring her partner.

When Cragen made a motion for her to sit though, she shook her head and remained on her feet. She could see the questioning look on his face at her recent behavior towards, well, everybody.

"I'd rather stand," she stated simply.

It wasn't a reason so much as a preference.

Cragen could only nod in response. He didn't understand why she'd been acting so off-colour at the moment, but he was determined to have her take some time off and get her act together.

"Olivia, I'm not giving you a say in this matter, I'm stating that now before I go any further," he told her in a stern voice that showed he had no intentions of letting up.

Truthfully. Olivia had been waiting for it. She decided to surprise him.

"I'll take the time off," she told him, before he even had a chance to say it to her.

Cragen hadn't caught it very quickly.

"I know you wi--" he stumbled. "Wait, you will?"

Olivia smiled faintly at the reaction. She'd expected as much. But she wasn't going to disagree. She honestly needed some time to think. And she hadn't had anything of the sort in the past two weeks.

"How long?"

Cragen frowned. "Just let me know when you've collected your thoughts, alright Olivia?" he asked. "I want the detective back that I used to know. I know she's still in there somewhere."

That caused Olivia to smile again. She nodded again before stepping out of the office. She saw Elliot again. He was waiting for her at the lockers, like he knew that was where she'd be going. But it was probably because he did know. He always knew.

When she finally reached the spot at the lockers, it hit her. Like dejavu. This is exactly how they'd been standing after another love-life mistake with Brian Cassidy. That thought caused her to look away and open her locker.

"Are you alright?" Elliot asked.

He'd been debating the question. But he knew that he needed to ask her eventually. But she was ignoring him. Or at least trying to.

"Liv.."

Bingo. He had her attention. The nickname always seemed to get her attention.

Olivia sighed. "Come over after work if you want to talk."

_Maybe it's love_

_That I have longed for_

_Maybe it's love_

_I should be strong for_

_I'm tearing down the walls inside_

_I want to laugh, and cry and kiss_

_Maybe it's love_

_I miss_

Elliot silently watched as she gathered her things and walked out the door. She hadn't told him _not_ to come, like he'd thought. Instead she had done the opposite. She invited him.

Olivia glanced around as she stood on the sidewalk in her attempt to hail a cab. Lucky. She was female. One stopped for her.

She shrugged her shoulders. She was doing her best not to smile at the annoyed look on the man's face who had been trying to hail one before her. The amusement was clear though as she sat down in the back and shut the door, telling the driver where to go.

The cabby did as told, dropping Olivia off at her apartment, and then trying to get a date out of her.

Olivia smiled and shook her head politely before paying the man and stepping out at her building. He didn't seem to mind. She guessed it probably happened a lot then.

She stepped into her building and went up the stairs. She was fairly sure she was the only one in the building who used the stairs. But that never bothered her. It lessened the chances of seeing anyone.

After unlocking her apartment she moved inside. Her shoes were left at the front door, her stuff from work put down on the coffee table. It was practically a routine for her.

_I've closed my heart down_

_So many seasons_

_I didn't want to hurt again_

_I didn't want to try_

She took the chance to glance around her apartment for the first time in a long while. She noticed it then. She didn't really personalize her own home. Nothing. It was strange really. It was like a temporary living place, only she'd been there eight years now. The biggest decoration she had was a picture of herself and her mom on top of the TV. And it was face down.

It wasn't that she didn't have anything to put on the walls. It was that she'd never really had the time. She still had boxes from when she had first moved in. They were currently sitting in the closet. That was the saddest part of it all.

Now was as good a time as ever to start making her life her own. Or she she hoped. She dragged a box from her closet and set it in the middle of the living room. Then a few more. Then finally a small box filled with quite a few years worth of pictures of not just herself, but some of her friends at the precinct. She sorted them around the now cluttered room as she decided which should be framed and hung, which should be framed and placed on a table or else where, and which should be placed back in the box.

She smiled at some of the now framed pictures. She'd nearly forgotten some of these moments in her life. Where she'd still been good to the people she considered some of her greatest friends. Her recent actions caused her to frown though.

She'd been horrible. Plain and simple. She had most definitely become the 'Ice Queen' that she'd been labeled when she'd first begun her work at SVU.

Suddenly her thoughts shifted. Perhaps she didn't deserve to have pictures of these people up around her house at this point, let alone even having them in her possession.

Her eyes glazed over slightly. What kind of friend was she? Clearly not a very good one.

_So I turned myself to ice and stone_

_Said I don't need anyone_

_And nobody else_

_Would ever make me cry_

A knock on the door caused her to look up from her mess. She'd forgotten all about inviting Elliot over as she walked to the door and opened it up.

Elliot glanced at Olivia, and then gave a confused stare at the boxes and stacks of things all over the living room. Maybe he had missed something, but things didn't look this way the last time he was there.

"Are you moving?" he asked in a confused manner.

A small laugh came from Olivia's lips. That was a first in the past few weeks. Her smile had even been rare lately. A laugh was practically salvation in his mind.

She shook her head. "No, I'm not moving," she stated. "More like unpacking."

Elliot's confusion remained.

"Just some things I never opened..."

A smile. That was a good sign coming from him.

"Some?" he questioned with amusement. "It looks like you just moved in. Or are getting ready to move out."

If it weren't for the fact that he was telling the truth, she might have actually been offended. But instead she let a small smile grow on her lips as well. She stepped back into her mess to allow him to come in, leaving the door alone so that he could come or go if he pleased.

He came in and shut the door behind him. Another good sign. He took a seat in an empty spot on the floor beside her and watched as she picked through some pictures and tossed others back in the box. He noticed one framed picture. It was the both of them. He had his arm draped around her shoulders. It caused his smile to grow.

Olivia caught it and shot him a questioning glance.

"What?"

He chuckled. "I like that one, that's all."

Olivia glanced at the picture he'd pointed to and smiled as well. Clearly, she liked it as well. It was in the 'hang on the wall' pile. Of which it was the only one at the moment.

"Why is it all alone in that pile?" he asked.

'Damn.. caught..' she thought to herself. "It's the the wall hanging pile.." she explained.

That made Elliot grin. Which caused her to laugh.

"Don't get conceited about it.."

Elliot smirked. "But why not? I'm the only one who has the unique blessing of being on your wall!"

Olivia tried to hide her amusement at his statement and feigned annoyance by framing another picture. It only seemed to make Elliot grin more. Which made her laugh all of the sudden.

"What's so funny?" he asked, as though he didn't already know.

Olivia smiled, her eyes glancing towards him.

"We haven't done this in a while."

Elliot raised an eyebrow up at her.

"Done what?" he asked.

"Talked like friends.."

_Maybe it's love_

_I've run away from_

_Maybe it's love_

_Bringing me back home_

_I'm tearing down the walls inside_

_I want to laugh, and cry and kiss_

_Maybe it's love I miss_

Elliot hadn't thought about it until she said it. But she was right. They hadn't been this friendly towards each other in a long while now. He was beginning to regret it. Maybe that's what hurt her so much. That he hadn't tried to do anything like this with her..

That was a ridiculous idea.. or so he thought. Those were one-way feelings on his part. Olivia had no interest in love. She always seemed to make it clear that it wasn't for her.

"Sorry.." she stated quickly. "I guess I just ruined the fun moment.."

Elliot noticed the hurt look. Maybe it wasn't one-way feelings after all..

"Can I ask you a question Liv?"

Olivia's eyes moved from the picture she was holding to Elliot once more. She gave him a nod for him to continue, silently wishing she hadn't ruined the fun like she did.

"What were you feeling in that picture?" he asked, pointing towards the one in the frame, in a pile all by itself.

Olivia seemed almost embarrassed at that exact moment as she looked away. What in the world was she supposed to say to that question? She definitely hadn't been expecting it, that's for sure.

He smiled. She _did_ have some sort of feelings for him. He put his arm around her shoulder like he'd done in the picture.

"Do you feel the same way now?" he asked.

Olivia's face turned crimson, and she quickly looked away.

"No.." she answered. "I don't really know.."

_So put your arms around me now_

_Hold me tight_

_Show me how_

_No one has ever loved me more_

_I've waited for so long_

Elliot smiled. He understood what it was like to be unsure of your feelings. He'd felt that way ever since he'd met her. And it took him a little near seven years to really understand what it was he felt for her.

Olivia finally stole a glance in his direction. The smile on his lips made her realize he wasn't just messing with her head, he just wanted her to be honest.

"Truthfully.." she said quietly. "I think I love you.."

It was barely audible, and Elliot wasn't too sure that he'd heard her correctly. But he replied to it like he had.

"I think I love you back," he told her.

The shock registered on her face. That had been a first for her. Love without sex first? She'd never had that happen. A guy never said that before they'd slept together. Perhaps that was why she had believed his words.

She smiled, and placed a small kiss on his lips.

_Maybe it's love_

_Maybe I'm dreaming_

_Maybe it's love_

_I can believe in_

_I'm tearing down the walls inside_

_I want to laugh, and cry and kiss_

_Maybe it's love_

_Maybe it's love_

_Maybe it's love_

_Like this_

"You know what?" she asked him quietly.

Elliot tilted his head in curiosity.

"What?" he asked.

Another smile from her.

"That's the first time I've believed someone whose said it to me.."

**&&&&&&&&**

**Okay so.. maybe the inspiration from this will get me going. We'll have to see. Right? Thanks everyone.**

**'Maybe It's Love'. Song by Trisha Yearwood. Good song.. hopefully a good story.**

**-Kay**


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